Saving Money on Your Family’s Clothing

Sometimes, having a family means making sacrifices. It means eating out less often, and it might mean having a little bit older car than you’d prefer. Especially in today’s economy, families are struggling to make ends meet, yet still provide for their needs.

One of the areas you may be able to save on is clothing. There are a number of ways you can reduce your family’s clothing budget. Some of these are probably pretty obvious, but others are certainly worth exploring more:

Hand-me-down, but only the good stuff. Every larger family probably has hand-me-downs. The key is to make sure the clothes you’re handing down are actually in good repair, and that they’ll last the next child at least a little while.

Check out thrift stores. Goodwill and the Salvation Army can be excellent resources for clothes shopping. It takes time, and you’re still going to have to put out some cash, but it will save you in the long run. Be especially particular here; watch out for hidden blemishes, such as tears or stains, that aren’t obvious at first glance.

Consider resale shops. Resale shops are somewhere between thrift stores and full retail prices. The advantage of resale shops is that you’re often looking at higher-quality clothes that will last longer, and probably look nicer. The downside, obviously, is the higher cost than thrift store prices.

Don’t forget about free options. Freecycle, for example, is a great place to find second-hand clothing. Generally speaking, you’re looking at simply the cost of the gas to go pick up the clothes. (Freecycle can be a great source for other items, too, not just clothing).

Organize a clothing swap. Get some of your friends together, or work with a church or other community group to have a clothing swap. This way, you can still be sure someone’s getting use out of your old clothes that won’t fit anyone in your family, and you can find some excellent options, too.